Joel Connelly: Greens go for candidates

King County Conservation Voters has put a “green seal” on a lot of Seattle’s usual political suspects, but has endorsed challengers to incumbent Seattle City Councilman David Della and Port Commissioner Bob Edwards.

The endorsements are coveted: King County supports environmental causes, and Conservation Voters has forged a “red-green” alliance with organized labor that put Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels in office six years ago.

Conservation Voters announced yesterday that it is backing Gael Tarleton, a UW administrator and former Defense Intelligence Agency analysis, in her challenge to Edwards. Two other candidates are in the race, raising the spectre that the incumbent might not even survive the primary.

The other challenger endorsement goes to Tim Burgess, a businessman, former city elections commission chairman and onetime policeman. Burgess’ bid to unseat Della has gained backing from the Seattle Firefighters Union and Seattle Police Officers Guild.

Conservation Voters is backing a trio of Seattle City Council incumbents – Jean Godden, Tom Rasmussen and Sally Clark – who are strongly favored to win reelection. The group announced yesterday that it is backing Keri Andrews, a candidate for Bellevue City Council, “due to her commitment to taking on climate change.”

In the other Seattle Port Commission race, Conservation Voters is sticking with incumbent Alec Fisken, saying Fisken has shown a proactive approach towards “keeping the air and water affected by Port operations clean without hurting the economic viability of the Port.” Fisken has also been an outspoken critic of port secrecy.

Fisken has a fight on his hands for environmental support. His challenger, Bill Brant, has proposed a comprehensive port-financed study of Elliott Bay, and has drawn backing from several prominent conservationists.

Conservation Voters has also taken an early stand in the race for King County Prosecutor.

It has endorsed a Democrat, deputy prosecutor Bill Sherman, in the three way race to fill the job held for nearly 30 years by King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng. Maleng died on May 24th. Sherman worked in the U.S. Interior Department in the 1990’s as an aide to Secretary Bruce Babbitt.

King County Conservation Votes is the local county branch of Washington Conservation Voters.